Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-10-17
The Brave Man Who Killed Two Texas
Train Rahhars


Train Robbers.
Ell PAso (Texas), October 16th.-J. f.
smith, Wells Fargo Co.'S express mes
nlgnt was seen yesterday at the Southern
PacIhc depot. He made the following
statement:
lett El Paso last evening about 9
CLOCK on the Galveston, Harrisburg and
San Antonio, on the east bound passenger
as express messenger for Wells, Fargo 81
20; About halfway between Ell Paso and
fsieta the train stopped. l heard a shot
and thought it was track signal torpedo.
I! then heard loud swearing and on stick
ing my head out of the door saw a man
firing revolver.
." blew out the lights and with Mr..
Beardsiey. clerk of the Fort Worth Office,
who was in the car with me, retired TO the
back part of the car. As | did this the
robbers put a giant powder cartridge in
place and blew the door open. | told
Beardsley we had better get out. So he
got out first with his gun on his person.
AS dropped down l left my gun in the
middle of the door on the floor. Nv in
tentlon was to hit the robber as | landed
with my fist and knock him down and
then grab my six-shooter, but Beardsley
was rather between US and | couldn't
reach him.
TIMELY SHOT.
" The robber then wanted to get in and
strike light. and | volunteered my serv-
ices and got right back into the car. As
put my hands on the car floor caught hold
of my gun and turning quickly placed it at
the robbers heart and said, Die, d-n
you The ball went directly through his
heart and he fell over dead, with one CUR
Cling gasp. The other robber then fred at
me, the ball barely missing nv head. /
fired back, and came near hitting the en-
gineer. The other robber then deliberately
carried his dead pal to the engine and Or
dered the fireman to put him up, at the
same time asking the latter what was the
matter with him. The fireman answered
He's hurt pretty bad ; and he was hurt so
pad that he'll never hold up another train
in this world. had been trying to get a
shot at the second robber, but was prevented
on account of the fireman being SO near. l
noticed the fireman step aside a few feet
and my opportunity had arrived.
THE OTHER RoBBER FOUND DEAD.
Grasping single barrel shotgun l
hred. The robber reeled and uttered a cry
of pain, but recovered himself, and in q
STOPPING shape ran away. He was not
found until this morning, when his corpse.
cold and stiff, and his face and BODY rid
died with buckshot and covered with blood.
was discovered in little gulch not fifty
feet away. He was found by Deputy
United States Marshal Van Ripper. who
brought the body into the city on a hand
car. l killed the leader at the first shot.
and that's what did it. The object of the
second man in getting his pard on the en-
glne was to unhook the locomotive and get
away from the authorities without leaving
a clew, but it didn't work"
Marshal White and United States Dep
uty Marshals Van Ripper and Ross and a
party are securing the woods for the third
man, although Smith did not see but two.
Three Indians are on his trail, and claim
that they are on the right track.
The robbers names, found on their per-
sons, are J. S. Emerson and Bernard NJ.
Dechard. The first named was the first
Killed. The railroad boys at the Southern
Pacific depot think they recognize the dead
ROBBERS as two OF a gang who were playing
ball in front of the depot day or two ago.
Both of them look nearly alike.
On Dechard was found q memorandum
book with buckshot-hole through it. A
plain gold ring, an imitation diamond ring
and Sl4 10 in money was found on his per-
son. He was about five feet and a half tall
and 25 or 26 years old He was we'll dressed
in blue suit
The other robber, J. s. Emerson, was
about the same age as his pal He was
nearly six feet tall, and weighed 10 pounds,
and had auburn hair and smooth face,
except stubby beard. He was a muscular
fellow. On his person was found 81 As in
money and a check for trunk issued
IN Terre Haute, Indiana, September 2Sth.
THE MESSENGERS REWARD
Messenger Smith will receive 81 900 for
his little job of last night The Southern
Pacific has a Standing offer of $1,000 for
each man. A beautiful gold medal, one
that will be fitting tribute to Messenger
Smith, will be given by the citizens of Ell
Paso.
A freight train was Immediately behind
the passenger and Henry Campbell, the
passenger brakeman, put out his lantern
and at once ran back to flag the freight. A
stray shot whizzed past his head, but he ran
on about three miles and stopped the
freight, thereby averting what might have
proved terrible accident Smith was the
coolest person among the whole number of
citizens he met to-day. He talked about
the episode of last night as if it was in his
line of business, and says he was not the
least excited or unnevered until the Job was
finished.